


A Hidden Truth

by bookish_cupcake



Series: Hel of The Forgotten [4]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Norse Religion & Lore, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Gen, Norse mythology freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-10
Updated: 2016-05-10
Packaged: 2018-06-07 12:30:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6804109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bookish_cupcake/pseuds/bookish_cupcake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Loki's story of how he helped his daughter, but must keep it a secret. Or-- What Hel doesn't know, does hurt her.</p><p>"A Visit" is best read after this.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Hidden Truth

One by one, her brothers were taken. Sleipnir in servitude. Fenrir in chains. Jormungand cast to Midgard’s ocean. And Hel? She knew her time in Asgard was coming to an end. She told her father thusly, and he remained quiet on the subject.

Hel had always thought that her father lifted nary a finger to aid her, but she was wrong.

Loki, like always, plotted.

Hel did not know that Loki consulted Thor on the matter. Hel did not hear the dire words come from her uncle’s mouth.

“I fear the All-Father plans to return her to Yggdrasil. She is to bring pestilence and death upon us all.”

“Yggdrasil,” Loki echoed in a hollow voice.

“Aye.” Thor nodded grimly. “Return her to the flow of life afore she fulfills the prophecy.”

“That is madness,” Loki exclaimed. “She is my daughter. Family. Surely Odin…”

He trailed off, not fully sure what to think. No, he realized. Odin did not see Loki’s children as individuals. They were not like the other gods or their offspring. They were cogs in the Ragnarok, part of destiny’s design to kill the gods. He would have to convince him.

Loki knew many things. Hel would have to leave Asgard. Hel would have to show importance. Hel, regrettably, was bond to suffer. That was the inescapable nature of his bloodline, it seemed.

While Hel waited, alone and unsure of what will happen, Loki traveled across the realms.

He visited Alfheim, but King Alberon shoos Loki away before the trickster can do his kingdom any harm.

He journeyed to Muspelheim, land of fire and its ruler, Surtr. The elder fire jotun roared at Loki, wanting nothing to with the pestilent deviant.

In the oceans of Vanir, Loki met with the great god Njördr. Njördr was ancient and weary after the war with Asgard, yet held great wisdom he passed on to his two children Freyr and Freyja. Njördr spoke to Loki, knowing what the trickster desired.

Njördr knew of threads that the norns weaved. He knew of Loki’s children’s fate in Ragnarok, to the kill the gods that Njördr so despised. This was the reason why Njördr provided wisdom.

“There is a patch of land in the coldest, empty realm. A palace erected from the ancient times of Ymir and Buri,” informed Njördr.

Loki thanked the god before departing. He went to Niflheim, the cold and the ice were no bother to him. He spotted the patch of land that Njördr spoke of, though it was vaster than Loki imagined. He waded through the river that served as a border.

On the other side was rocks and dirt, weeds springing up sporadically. In the distance there were mountains and howling in the wind. Most importantly, there was a palace. The architecture spiraled into the grim clouds, as if trying to breach the other realms.  

Tired of walking, Loki magicked himself inside the building. It was run down with thick layers of dust. He went from room to room, inspecting it. He found the library lacking, and he made a mental note to fill it with better material on another trip. The kitchen was bare, and he murmured a spell.

Hel did not know of her father’s convincing to Odin.

“A Goddess of Death,” Loki casually suggested. “Bring about the natural flow of things. Valhalla and Fólkvangr partake in the worthy souls, but what of the others? In fact, I know just the place…”

Hel did not know of Odin’s stipulation. Odin, aware of Loki’s cunning and silvertongue, forbade him to speak with Hel beforehand.

Instead, Hel stood at the edge of the bifrost. As Odin gripped her tiny wrist, she looked pleadingly at her father and uncle. “Please,” she begged; her desperation full and raw. “I can be good. I can lock myself away from everyone. _Please._ ”

Loki remained silent.

“Hel,” Odin spoke, the air rumbling with authority, “I announce you the Goddess of Death. You shall not leave your abode Helheim, and you shall watch over the dead. This is your duty.”

And so Hel fell, unaware of her father’s tears. 


End file.
